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Missing Tenn. teen found safe in Wisconsin; her adoptive father charged with rape

The teen was last seen at home on Jan. 13, 2019

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Updated: 9:29 AM CST Feb 1, 2019

Monroe County Sheriff's Office

Randall Lee Pruitt

SOURCE: Monroe County Sheriff's Office

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Missing Tenn. teen found safe in Wisconsin; her adoptive father charged with rape

The teen was last seen at home on Jan. 13, 2019

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Updated: 9:29 AM CST Feb 1, 2019

The adoptive father of the missing Tennessee girl who officials late Thursday said had been found in Wisconsin was arrested earlier in the day and held on a rape charge. Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones said the missing teen was found in Wisconsin after having last been seen Jan. 13.Jones said he couldn't release who the teen was with when she was found, but that she has family in Wisconsin. It's not believed she was related to the people she was with when located. Early Friday morning, the FBI's Milwaukee field office tweeted their thanks to the Dane County Sheriff's Office, Madison Police Department and Wisconsin DCI for their assistance in locating the teen at 8 p.m. Thursday evening. The FBI also says they're assisting the Monroe County, TN Sheriff's Office as the investigation continues.The girl's adoptive father, Randall Pruitt, has been charged with rape, ABC station WATE-TV reported. Jones said Randall Pruitt was charged in connection to the case but that the charge was not directly correlated with the girl's disappearance. "We don’t believe at this time that he has connection to her being a runaway and missing," Jones said. The sheriff said the teen has had shelter, has been eating and is doing well. Randall Pruitt was being held without bond in Monroe County (Tennessee) Jail.More people will be charged in the case, according to Monroe County Sheriff's Office authorities.Editor's Note: WISN 12 NEWS is no longer naming the teen because she may be a victim of sexual assault.

MADISONVILLE, Tenn. —

The adoptive father of the missing Tennessee girl who officials late Thursday said had been found in Wisconsin was arrested earlier in the day and held on a rape charge.

Monroe County Sheriff Tommy Jones said the missing teen was found in Wisconsin after having last been seen Jan. 13.

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Jones said he couldn't release who the teen was with when she was found, but that she has family in Wisconsin. It's not believed she was related to the people she was with when located.

Early Friday morning, the FBI's Milwaukee field office tweeted their thanks to the Dane County Sheriff's Office, Madison Police Department and Wisconsin DCI for their assistance in locating the teen at 8 p.m. Thursday evening.

The FBI also says they're assisting the Monroe County, TN Sheriff's Office as the investigation continues.

The girl's adoptive father, Randall Pruitt, has been charged with rape, ABC station WATE-TV reported. Jones said Randall Pruitt was charged in connection to the case but that the charge was not directly correlated with the girl's disappearance.

"We don’t believe at this time that he has connection to her being a runaway and missing," Jones said.

The sheriff said the teen has had shelter, has been eating and is doing well.

Randall Pruitt was being held without bond in Monroe County (Tennessee) Jail.

More people will be charged in the case, according to Monroe County Sheriff's Office authorities.

Editor's Note: WISN 12 NEWS is no longer naming the teen because she may be a victim of sexual assault.